Government shutdown affects thousands in Texas

Published 8:45 am, Tuesday, October 1, 2013

AUSTIN — Thousands of federal workers in Texas are set to begin furloughs after Congress plunged the nation into a partial government shutdown.

National parks and the Johnson Space Center in Houston were among the places Tuesday that faced being most affected by the shutdown. Three presidential libraries in Texas are also closing its doors until the budget impasse is over.

Many other federal offices will stay open as usual. That includes criminal courts and border security agents.

Nationwide, about 800,000 federal workers are being forced off the job as most non-essential federal programs and services are suspended.

Gov. Rick Perry had directed state agencies to prepare for the shutdown by developing contingency plans.